# Why can't I extrude this Mechanical Desktop drawing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 24, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-extrude-this-mechanical-desktop-drawing/323158 "2005-09-24T01:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![loctanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@loctanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loctanster)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-extrude-this-mechanical-desktop-drawing/323158/1 "2005-09-24T01:37:05Z")
I am trying to make a chassis, but it won’t let me extrude it. I get this error after creating the profile and attempting to extrude: ```auto Failed to compute Extrusion Blind. Error : No intersection. ``` I don’t undestand what they are wanting here. I have included the file in this link if anyone wants to take a look. [http://s43.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2ZTEJN8G1XQB826I71FM5UZHX9](http://s43.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2ZTEJN8G1XQB826I71FM5UZHX9) Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Schuyler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@Schuyler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schuyler)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2005, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-extrude-this-mechanical-desktop-drawing/323158/2 "2005-09-24T03:44:05Z")
This usually indicates that, as the error message implies, the shape isn’t closed. Sometimes what looks like lines/curves that meet in a corner are actually not touching if you zoom in enough - this can happen if you have the snap-to turned off. Also, if lines are on more than one plan, so that while your shape looks closed from one perspective, it’s not actually a closed shape. Just a couple of quick thoughts - if it’s not this, maybe you could be a bit more descriptive w/o requiring a file to be opened. Thanks, and hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2005, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-extrude-this-mechanical-desktop-drawing/323158/3 "2005-09-24T03:46:10Z")
What program are you using to make this? It’s hard to open a random file if we don’t know what program to use. (Note that I have te program, unless oyu used the free version of Alibre) ---
**Author:** ![loctanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@loctanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loctanster)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2005, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-extrude-this-mechanical-desktop-drawing/323158/4 "2005-09-24T04:18:51Z")
> [@Schuyler](#): > > This usually indicates that, as the error message implies, the shape isn’t closed. Sometimes what looks like lines/curves that meet in a corner are actually not touching if you zoom in enough - this can happen if you have the snap-to turned off. Also, if lines are on more than one plan, so that while your shape looks closed from one perspective, it’s not actually a closed shape. Just a couple of quick thoughts - if it’s not this, maybe you could be a bit more descriptive w/o requiring a file to be opened. Thanks, and hope this helps. Sorry about that. Basically it’s a two-dimensional drawing done in Autodesk Mechanical Desktop 5. I created the basic outline using circles and squares and when it came time to actually extrude it to make it three dimensional it wouldn’t extrude. I will be sure to check all of the little corners as I did have to turn the snap off in order to do some of the curves. Frankly, I am am not very good with the program (basically what I have done today is the first I have done since a class about 3 years ago) so I really can’t go in too much more detail as I really couldn’t explain exactly what I did other than created the outline with basic 2D shapes and offsetting. > [@](#): > > What program are you using to make this? It’s hard to open a random file if we don’t know what program to use. (Note that I have te program, unless oyu used the free version of Alibre) Sorry again. It’s Autodesk Mechanical Desktop 5; however, any newer versions of AutoCAD or Mechanical Desktop should be able to read it. Thanks again guys. ---
**Author:** ![loctanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@loctanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loctanster)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-extrude-this-mechanical-desktop-drawing/323158/5 "2005-09-24T15:47:37Z")
I finally figured it out. Apparently my figure formed a complete loop, but on some of the curves the lines overlapped. Thanks for the help guys.